A cokpoeation of



Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES IRVING F. LAUGKS AND GLENN DAVIDSON,

OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS TO I., F. LAUCKS, INCORPORATED, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON Io Drawing.

The art of making awater-proof glue from certain protein materials has been known for 1 some time; thus casein and blood albumin are in common use. These last mentioned compounds, however, have a number of disadvantages from a practical standpoint. Casein is costly and lack of uniformity in the material as derived from various sources is a serious detriment; while blood albumin is not available except in certain situations. There is accordingly a great demand, particularly in the veneer industry where large quantities of glue are consumed, for a new glue that will be cheap and at the same time sufliciently water-proof.

By water-proof, in this connection, it is not meant that glues thus characterized will resist the action of water indefinitely, but it is meant that they are water-proof in the sensein which the term is used in the veneer industry, viz., that a panel can be be soaked in cold water for from seventy-two to one hundred hours, or in boiling water for eight hours, without separation.

Vegetable compounds have not, so far as we are aware, been heretofore satisfactorily employed as a basis for water-proof glues of the type in question. It is true that some veneer makers,on account of the high price of casein, have come to use starch glues but these, at least as heretofore made, are not at all water-proof, and vegetable proteins have not heretofore been used at all, so far as are aware.

We have now discovered, however, that by subjecting the same to proper treatment, such vegetable proteins or vegetable matter containing proteins in proper amount, and for that matter even starch, can be converted into a water-proof glue that will satisfy the rigid requirements of veneer making. The requisite raw material may be derived from a number of sources and the treatment of such material is relatively simple and inexpensive so that as a result we are able to produce a satisfactory glue at a much lower cost than has been heretofore been possible.

' To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the combination of ingredients or composi- ADHESIVE AND METHOD OF MAKING Original application filed October 29, 1923, Serial No. 671,381, new Patent No. 1,689,782.

Divided and this application filed September 10, 1928. Serial No. 305,133.

tion of matter and the steps involved in the preparation of such composition hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that such disclosed ingredients and steps constitute but several of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

We have found that soya bean flour constitutes an admirable raw material for our purpose. Such flour is preferablymade by grinding soya bean cake so that 80 per cent. will pass a 100 mesh screen and when treated with certain chemicals, or other substances, we make therefrom a very satisfactory glue that meets the requirements of the veneer trade fully and is in many respects better than the usual glues now on the market. Such bean cake, as analyzed by us, is found to contain on the average 45 per cent. protein, 12 per cent. water, 5 per cent. cellulose or crude fiber, 7 per cent. oil, 6 per cent. ash, and 25 per cent. carbohydrates.

We do not, however, wish to limit ourselves to soya bean flour or to vegetable protein derived from this source for we have made satisfactory glue by our improved process from similar seed flours, or protein matter derived from such, in which there is a considerable protein content, examples of which are linseed flour, cottonseed flour, and the like.

or even for some uses a low grade wheat containing approximately 10 per cent. protein;

that is, soya bean flour gives the best results. but other sources of vegetable protein-containing material may be. employed with proportionately advantageous results.

Soya bean flour made from soya bean cake from which the oil has been expressed, is preferably used in practice because it is cheaper and makes a better glue, but flour made from whole soya beans, without expressing the contained oil, may also be used,

When the usual chemicals employed in makingcasein glue, viz., lime and sodium silicate, are added to a vegetable PIOi3611'1-COI1- taining material, for example, soya bean flour, a glue results, but it is not as good as casein glue. It is not as highly water resistant nor as workable. We find, however, by the use of caustic soda with such vegetable protein-containing matter, a much better glue is obtained, such caustic soda apparently playing the part of dispersing the colloidal material. The resultant glue is then somewhat similar in its working properties to casein glue, although its water resistance is still slightly less.

Preferably we react on our vegetable protein-containing material with both caustic soda and lime. As equivalents of such caustic soda, caustic potash and ammonia may be used, although more expensive. Other equivalents of caustic soda are salts of soda (or potash) with weak acids, e. g. sodium phosphate, sodium borate and the like. Similarly in place of lime, magnesia, baryta and strontia may be used as equivalents.

In order to improve the working properties, e. g. the spreading and flow, of the glue produced as aforesaid as well as the water resisting properties, we have found it desirable to add other substances of which the following are examples Sodium dichromate. Equivalents would be other metallic dichromates or chromates or compounds having a similar chromium action.

Sodium silicate, and other soluble silicates.

Rosin, sodium or calcium soaps of rosin. Equivalents would be other resin or resin combinations with metals.

In general, the chromium compounds make the glue more readily workable while at the same time imparting increased water resistance; the silicates and related compounds act as thinners while at the same time increasing the water resistance and the strength of the glue; and that rosin and derivatives thereof act as thinners and make the glue more readily workable. Substances such as the foregoing, which act as a thin-,

ner, or render the glue more readily workable, may be approximately referred to as Spreaders.

We have also found that certain substances will act in the same way as the caustic soda and also as thinners, e. g. sodium phosphate,

sodium perborate and sodium sulphite. These salts are all related in that they are combinations of the strong base sodium with a Weak acid and there are a number of other salts that fall in the same category and which have a similar effect, so need not be listed in detail.

As examples we may cite the following typical formulae (1) Mix 15 parts soyabeanflour with 1 part sodium dichromate; add 40 parts water and 13 parts 18 per cent. caustic soda solution; stir Well; then add 2 parts calcium hydrate in 30 parts of water, giving finished lue.

(2) Mix dry, i0 parts linseed flour, 6 parts rosin, 8 parts Portland cement, 3 parts dichromate of soda and 5 parts caustic soda; add 140 parts water and 14 parts water glass; stir well; add 50 parts water.

(3) Mix 30 parts soya bean flour, 1 part sodium dichromate, 0.1 part zinc sulphate, 80 parts water; add 13 parts 18 per cent. caustic soda solution and 4 parts calcium hydrate in 20 parts water.

(4) Mix 30 parts low grade wheat flour,

2 parts sodium dichromate, 5 parts Portland cement, parts water, 20 parts 18 per cent. caustic soda solution.

(5) Mix dry, 40 parts soya bean flour, 6 parts rosin, 8 parts Portland cement, 3 parts dichromate of soda and 5 parts caustic soda; add 140 parts water and 14 parts water glass; stir well; add 50 parts water.

The particular order in which the several ingredients are admixed together in the formulae just given may be varied, and it is not necessary that the manufacture of the product be completed in a single continuous operation, but as a matter of practice we have found it desirable in certain cases to mix only certain of the ingredients initially and then add the others just before the glue is required for use. Thus the soya bean flour, lime, rosin, and the dichromate may be mixed dry, and in this form be shipped to the veneer plants. In the latter, such dry product is then mixed with Water, caustic soda solution and sodium silicate in the form of water glass, thereby making the finished glue.

It will also be understood, of course, that the foregoing formulae are typical and that many variations are actually made therein in the compounding of our improved glue.

We have'found that even where the vegetable material contains practically no protein but only starch as a glue-making constituent. by using sodium dichromate or Portland cement as in the two last cited formulae, a glue is obtained much superior to any starch glue at present on the market. Thus by adding sodium dichromate and the other ingredients employed in the formulae indicated with straight cornstarch having no protein in it, a glue has been obtained that plication Serial No. 671,381, filed Octoberresists the action of water for forty-eight hours which is approximately eight times as long as ordinary Perkins starch-caustic soda glue will resist the action of water. It would accordingly appear that certain of the compounds which we have found effective in producing a superior glue, when used with vegetable protein, have also the same effect or at least a similar one on starch.

' This application is a division of our ap- 29, 1923 (Patent No. 1,689,732).

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the process herein disclosed or the materials employed in carrying out such process provided the stated ingredients and steps or the equivalent'of such stated ingredients or steps be employed.

We therefore particularly pointaout and distinctly claim as our invention 1. An adhesive composition, which comprises the reactionproducts of a vegetable protein-containing material, an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium com pound.-

2. An adhesive composition, which comprises the reaction products of soya bean protein-containing material, an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium compound.

3. An adhesive composition, which comprises the reaction products of ground vegetable seeds with an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium compound.

4. An adhesive composition, which com prises the reaction products of soya bean flour with an alkaline medium and awater-soluble chromium compound.

5. An adhesive composition, which com-' prises thereaction products of a vegetable protein-containing material, an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

6. An adhesive composition, -wh1ch comprises the reaction products of soya bean protein-containing material, an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

7 An adhesive composition, which comprises the reaction products of ground vegthe dichromate being about 30 parts of the flour and about 1 to 2 parts of the dichromate.

11. The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating a vegetable pr .eincontaining material with an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium compound.

12.'The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating soya bean proteincontaining material with an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium compound.

13. The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating ground vegetable seeds with an alkaline medium and a watersoluble chromium compound.

14. The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating soya bean flour with an alkaline medium and a water-soluble chromium compound.

15. The process of'making an adhesive, which comprises treating a vegetable proteincontaining material with an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

16. The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating soya bean proteincontaining material with an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

17. The process of making an adhesive. which comprises treating ground vegetable seeds with an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

18. The process of making an adhesive. which comprises treating soya bean flour with an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate.

19. The process of making an adhesive.

'which comprises treating a vegetable seed flour with an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate, the proportions of the flour and the dichromate being about 30 parts of the flour and about 1 to 2 parts of the dichromate.

20. The process of making an adhesive, which comprises treating soya bean flour with a caustic soda solution and with sodium dichromate.

IRVING F. LAUCKS. GLENN DAVIDSON.

' seed flour, an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate, the proportions of the flour and the dichromate being about 30 parts of the flour and about 1 to 2 parts of the dichromate.

10. An adhesive composition, which comprises the reaction products of soya bean flour, an alkaline medium and sodium dichromate, the proportions of the flour and 

